Wartime

In “Darkest Hour”, Gary Oldman Again Inhabits his Character

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In Darkest Hour, director Joe Wright and writer Anthony McCarten are both firmly in their wheelhouse. Both men are big on these kinds of historical period pieces, so they certainly know what they are doing here. While it is tempting to consider Darkest Hour a companion piece to Cristopher Nolan’s Dunkirk earlier this year on … Read more

Jinn, Wartime, and Metaphor in the Amazing “Under the Shadow”

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And the jinn we created before from scorching fire. – Quran 15:27 “The Rocky Tract” Symbolism and metaphor are powerful weapons against oppression, and can also illuminate complex and unbearable situations like war and the subjugation of women.  Writer-director Babak Anvari’s debut feature Under the Shadow is a intelligent film that takes full advantage of … Read more